


A Simple Question

by katling



Series: Tony Stark Bingo [36]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky... is just the victim in this, Civil War Team Iron Man, Decisions Decisions, Gen, Not Steve Friendly, Not Wanda Friendly, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Steve gets his comeuppance, Wait... is that Loki in disguise?, maaaybe, moderated for my peace of mind, not team Cap friendly, saltier than the dead sea, so much salt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:54:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27289750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katling/pseuds/katling
Summary: It's a simple question, Captain Rogers? Who will you choose? Tony knows the answer but Wanda, unfortunately, doesn't. Until she does.Written for the Tony Stark Bingo - Card 4062, Square T2: Denial
Series: Tony Stark Bingo [36]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1270763
Comments: 78
Kudos: 1308
Collections: Tony Stark Bingo Mark IV





	A Simple Question

“It’s a simple question, Captain Rogers. Pick who dies. This woman or this man?”

The laugh slipped out of Tony’s mouth before he could stop it and once it had, he just couldn’t stop laughing. His own survival was guaranteed. The kidnapper had been after him and had gotten three out of the six Rogues as a bonus prize because Rogers couldn’t take no for an answer and had followed him out of the meeting for a discussion Tony had had no intention of entertaining. And… well, he had no idea why Barnes and Maximoff had followed along nor did he much care.

“Is there something funny about that question, Dr Stark?”

Their kidnapper sounded peeved and something about that was funny too. Still, it probably wouldn’t do to actually say that.

“No, no,” he said once he’d managed to get himself under control. “Not funny at all. Nothing about this is funny.”

The kidnapper gave him a narrow-eyed look then turned back to Rogers. 

“Well, Captain? I need a decision and I can’t wait all day.”

“You can’t do this,” Rogers bellowed, struggling against his bonds.

There was a point where Tony might have advised him not to do that, that he could see that this kidnapper was a class above the usual sort and had prepared for them, including somehow getting his hands on a pair of the special cuffs the UN had commissioned from SI to hold enhanced beings. Which, now that he thought about it, made the selection of Rogers as a fellow victim seem a little less like chance and a bit more like design. Or the kidnapper was just crazy prepared. He had, after all, had a copy of the suppressor collar for Maximoff. Which raised a few suspicions that Tony would think about later. For now, he was far more interested in Rogers’ answer.

“I think you’ll find I can, Captain Rogers,” the kidnapper said, prowling over to stand behind Barnes and Maximoff. Both were gagged and therefore silent but were a study in contrasts. Barnes was slumped in the chair, not looking at anyone, while Maximoff was sitting bolt upright, glaring hateful daggers at everyone. “I only need Dr Stark and yourself…”

_Huh_ , Tony thought. _Well, that answers that question._

“…and I will only release one of these two people.” The kidnapper smiled. It wasn’t a pleasant sight. “One can’t be _too_ kind, after all.”

“Tony…” Rogers ground out between gritted teeth.

Tony shifted in his own bonds. “I’m not sure what you’re expecting me to do, Rogers.”

“Negotiate!” Rogers yelled. “Like you did with the Ten Rings. Or pay him.”

Tony frowned at him then snorted. “You think I _negotiated_ with the Ten Rings? That I paid them money to let me go? Who told you that?”

“Natasha,” Steve snapped, testing his bonds again. “She said you must have talked or paid your way out of there.”

Tony stared at him for a long moment then started laughing again. Much to his surprise, their kidnapper joined in.

“Oh, Captain Rogers,” the kidnapper said. “You honestly believed a Black Widow? A graduate of the Red Room who was taught to lie and manipulate in order to stay alive?”

Rogers stopped struggling and stared at Tony and the kidnapper. “What?”

“Dr Stark’s escape was far more hands on,” the kidnapper said. “He pretended to give in to the Ten Rings’ demands and built the first version of his ever so famous suit right under their noses.” He raised a sardonic eyebrow at Tony. “A salutatory lesson I intend to keep in mind.” He turned back to Rogers. “Then he blasted his way out of captivity, destroying the base and almost everyone in it. There was no negotiation or payment involved. It’s rather sad how little you know about someone who was _meant_ to be your teammate.”

Rogers twitched and looked away and Tony snorted.

“Now, Captain Rogers, I insist upon a decision. Sergeant Barnes or Ms Maximoff. One must die so the other may live.”

Tony watched with sardonic interest as Rogers struggled to get free again without much success. As he watched, Barnes raised his head and from the look on his face, he knew, just as Tony did, how this was going to pan out. Rogers had already proven that no one mattered more to him than Barnes, it was just a matter of how long it took him to get over his weird obsession with protecting Maximoff.

“Tick, tock, Captain Rogers,” the kidnapper crooned. “Barnes or Maximoff? I need an answer or I will simply kill both of them.”

“NO!” Rogers yelled, his entire body lurching towards Barnes before being yanked back by the unbreakable bonds.

Tony watched with somewhat clinical interest as Maximoff took that in. Not only took it in but realised what it meant for her, realised that she too came in a distant second to Barnes. From the expression on her face, it wasn’t a thought she found very palatable.

“I need to hear you say it, Captain Rogers,” the kidnapper said with a smirk and Tony suspected that it said very bad things about himself that he kind of wanted to hear Rogers say it too. Wanted to hear him articulate that _everyone_ came second to Barnes. “Who do I kill?”

For a moment, Tony didn’t think Rogers would do it but then he stared at Barnes and very quietly said, “Wanda.”

Tony wished he was a better person, that he didn’t look at the sheer betrayal on Maximoff’s face and want to crow, want to yell, ‘See how it feels! See how little he cares about you because your name isn’t _Bucky Barnes_.’.

“Say it again, Captain,” the kidnapper said. “Just a little louder so we all can hear it.”

Rogers hesitated then said once more, “Wanda.”

Barnes shuddered and curled in on himself as much as he could in his bonds, while Wanda’s expression became sulphurous.

The kidnapper laughed and almost danced over to where Tony was sitting, a little away from the others. He placed a hand on Tony’s shoulder and gripped it tightly.

“Oh, Captain,” he chuckled. “You would truly let the world burn for one man, wouldn’t you? A pity I don’t actually need you or you might have survived this.”

The kidnapper clicked his fingers and within the space of a couple of seconds, the bonds and collar on the enraged Scarlet Witch dissolved into nothing and Tony and the kidnapper disappeared in a flash of green, leaving the two super soldiers to their fates.

**Author's Note:**

> Wait... a green flash? Is that Loki is disguise? Well... maaaaaybe. :D
> 
> Let's just say that Loki needs to have a word with Tony about preparing for a certain purple grape and he's less than pleased by the actions of the witch and the Captain. Bucky... well, poor Bucky just ended up in the mess through no fault of his own.


End file.
